Closure means for containers



NOV. 16, 1965 P CLOSURE MEANS FOR CONTAINERS Filed March 1, 1962 INVENTOR .699; BQAL United States Patent "cc 3,217,951 CLOSURE MEANS FOR CONTAINERS Hans Paal, Waiblingen, Wurttemberg, Germany, assignor to Firma Fr. Hesser Maschinenfabrik-Aktiengesellschaft, Stuttgart-Bad Cannstatt, Germany, a corporation of Germany Filed Mar. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 176,678 Claims priority, application Germany, Mar. 30, 1961, 1-1 37,686 11 Claims. (Cl. 222-528) This invention relates to a new and improved closure and dispensing arrangement for containers and the like.

The present invention contemplates the provision of a new and improved closure construction for a rigid container, which includes a tab operative to cover the dispensing opening and joined to the adjacent wall of the container by a heat sealed joint. In this regard, the container wall may be composed of a thermoplastic material, e.g. polyethylene, or coating thereof on cardboard or the like. The tab, in turn, is constructed of flexible material, e.g. aluminum sheet, and may have a similar coating thereon so that a heat sealed joint between the contiguous surfaces thereof is provided. The tab is advantageously pivoted over the opening and tightly secured therein after initial opening simply by displacing the tab into the opening by a thumb or the like.

. Another object of this invention is to provide an inexpensive and trouble-free closure and dispensing means for a container, the container having a raised portion in one wall and having a elongated slotted dispensing opening therein. A generally rectangular tab of flexible material is joined to this raised portion adjacent an end of the.

slot. A heat sealing joint is provided between the tab and container wall which includes an enlarged terminal joint portion at the end of the slot, having a curved edge adjacent the slot, while the other opposed marginal sides of the tab are secured to this wall portion by a relatively narrow heat sealing joint. The tab has a lip at its free end which extends transversely beyond the raised wall portion so that the same is quickly and easily pulled back to the terminal joint portion for initial access. By virtue of the curved terminal joint edge, the flexible tab is advantageously formed in the shape of a longitudinally extending spout for dispensing purposes; and, the container is temporarily closed after initial use simply by pivoting the tab back over the slot for securing the same therein.

.These and still further objects, advantages, and novel features of the present invention will become apparent in the specification and claims, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the upper end of the container employing the closure means of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational section view of the container and closure means in FIGURE 1;

FIGURES 3 and 4 are partial perspective views showing the container positioned for dispensing the contents; and

FIGURE 5 is an elevational section view similar to FIGURE 2 but showing the closure means temporarily secured after initial opening.

Referring now to the drawings, there is shown in FIG- URE 1 a rigid container having upright side walls 1 and a top wall 2 joined thereto. The top wall 2 composed of an overlaying coating of thermoplastic material is of inverted cup-shaped configuration, having a centrally raised wall portion 2a and depressed peripheral wall portion 2b adjacent the side walls 1. The centrally raised wall portion 2a has an elongated or slotted dispensing opening 3,217,951 Patented Nov. 16, 1965 3 for dispensing the contents from the container, as will become apparent.

The wall portion 2a also carries a tab 4 of generally rectangular configuration. This tab 4 is constructed of a flexible material, preferably aluminum foil or sheet, so as to be easily shaped, and has a coating of thermoplastic material on its surface contiguous with the top wall 2. Additionally, the tab 4 has a protruding lip 5 extending beyond the centrally raised wall portion 2a to facilitate a gripping of the same with a persons fingers.

The tab 4 is joined to the top wall 2 adjacent the slotted opening 3 by a heat sealing connection or welding seam joint 6. In this regard the joint 6 includes a terminal joint portion 6a adjacent the end of the slot 3 opposite the lip 5 and covers a relatively wide area so as to constitute a permanent joint. The edge of this terminal joint por-- tion 6a adjacent the slot 3 is curved so that the tab 4 may be bent into a trough-like shape (FIGURE 4) to facilitate dispensing the contents of the free end thereof. Addi tionally, marginal joint lines 6b, also heat sealed, extend from the terminal joint portion along the sides of the tab 4 and the opposite end of the slot 3. This constitutes a temporary seal to initially seal the container for marketing purposes and the like.

Initially, the container is opened simply by gripping the lip 5 of the tab 4 and pulling the tab 4 back to the terminal joint portion 6a, thereby breaking the marginal heat sealing joint lines 612. The container is then tilted in the usual fashion for dispensing the contents through the slot 3. This may be accomplished as shown in FIG- URE 3 by virtue of the fact the tab 4 is pivoted upwardly to dispense the contents from the end of the slot 3 opposite the terminal joint 6a. Alternatively, the tab 4 may constitute a dispensing trough as the same may be curved into the shape of a trough due to the curved edge of terminal joint 6a adjacent the slot 3, as shown in FIGURE 4. After the desired amount of the contents. have been dispensed, the slot 3 is closed, as shown in FIGURE 5, simply by pivoting the tab 4 back over the slot 3 and depressing the flexible tab into the slot 3 to provide an effective closing of the container.

From the foregoing description of the various embodiments of this invention, it is evident that the objects of this invention, together with many practical advantages are successfully achieved. While preferred embodiments of my invention have been described, numerous further modifications may be made without departing from the scope of this invention.

Therefore, it is to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings are to be interpreted in an illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a rigid container having a dispensing opening in a raised portion of one wall thereof, and a flexible tab secured to said raised portion all around said opening to sealingly cover said opening, and adapted to be partly separated from said raised portion so as to be hinged to it along a predetermined one of its own edges, which edge is located closely adjacent the rim of said opening, and further adapted, after being separated from said raised portion, selectively to overlay said opening and to be depressed therein so as to releasably and sealingly engage the entire rim of said opening.

2. In combination, a rigid container comprising walls presenting a heat sealable surface, and having a dispensing opening in a raised portion of one wall thereof, and a flexible tab heat sealed to said raised portion all around said opening to sealingly cover said opening, and adapted to be partly separated from said raised portion by breaking the heat seal along the major part of the circumference of said opening so as to be hinged to it along a predetermined one of its own edges, which edge is located closely adjacent the rim of said opening, and further adapted, after being separated from said raised portion, selectively to overlay said opening and to be depressed therein so as to releasably and sealingly engage the entire rim of said opening.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 wherein the walls of said container and said tab on the surface facing said container are coated with a thermoplastic material.

4. In combination, a rigid container having a dispensing opening in a raised portion of one wall thereof, and a flexible tab secured to said raised portion all around said opening to sealingly cover said opening, and at one side extending beyond said raised portion to form a gripping end, and adapted to be partly separated from said raised portion by pulling at said gripping end so as to be hinged to it along an edge opposite to said gripping end, which edge is located closely adjacent the rim of said opening, and further adapted, after being separated from said raised portion, selectively to overlay said opening and to be depressed therein so as to releasably and sealingly engage the entire rim of said opening.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 in which said tab is secured to said raised portion by means of a narrow welding seam and said edge opposite to said gripping end is secured by a relatively wide Welding seam so as to constitute a permanent joint.

6. In combination, a rigid container having a dispensing opening in a raised portion of one wall thereof, and a flexible tab secured to said raised portion all around said opening to sealingly cover said opening, and adapted to be partly separated from said raised portion so as to be hinged to it along a predetermined one of its own edges, which edge is located closely adjacent the rim of said opening and is curved with its concave side facing 5 said opening, so that after partly separating said flexible tab from said raised portion and bending it for substantially 90 around said predetermined edge a pouring spout is formed which is rigid lengthwise by virtue of being concave crosswise, and further adapted, after being separated, selectively to overlay said opening and to be depressed therein so as to releasably and sealingly engage the entire rim of said opening.

7. In combination, a rigid container comprising walls presenting a heat sealable surface, and having a dispensing opening in a raised portion of one wall thereof, and a flexible tab heat sealed to said raised portion all around said opening to sealingly cover said opening, and adapted to be partly separated from said raised portion by breaking the heat seal along the major part of the circumference of said opening so as to be hinged to it along a predetermined one of its own edges, which edge is located closely adjacent the rim of said opening and is curved with its concave side facing said opening, so that after partly separating said flexible tab from said raised portion and bending it for substantially 90 around said predetermined edge a pouring spout is formed which is rigid lengthwise by virtue of being concave crosswise, and further adapted, after being separated, selectively to over lay said opening and to be depressed therein so as to releasably and sealingly engage the entire rim of said opening.

8. The combination defined in claim 7 wherein the Walls of said container and said tab on the surface facing said container are coated with a thermoplastic material.

9. In combination, a rigid Container having a dispensing opening in a raised portion of one wall thereof, and a flexible tab secured to said raised portion all around said opening to sealingly cover said opening, and at one side extending beyond said raised portion to form a gripping end, and adapted to be partly separated from said raised portion by pulling at said gripping end so as to be hinged to it along an edge opposite to said gripping end, which edge is located closely adjacent the rim of said opening and is curved with its concave side facing said opening, so that after partly separating said flexible tab from said raised portion and bending it for substantially around said edge a pouring spout is formed which is rigid lengthwise by virtue of being concave crosswise, and further adapted, after being separated, selectively to overlay said opening and to be depressed therein so as to releasably and sealing engage the entire rim of said opening.

10. The combination defined in claim 9 in which said tab is secured to said raised portion by means of a narrow welding seam and said edge opposite to said gripping end is secured by a relatively wide welding seam so as to constitute a permanent joint.

11. In combination, a rigid container comprising walls being coated with a thermoplastic material at at least one surface, and having a dispensing opening in a raised portion of the upper wall thereof, and a flexible tab coated with a thermoplastic material on its surface facing said raised portion, and heat sealed to said raised portion with a narrow Welding seam along the major part of the circumference of said opening, and with a relatively wide welding seam along the remaining minor part of said circumference to sealingly cover said opening and at the side opposite said relatively wide seam extending beyond said raised portion to form a gripping end, and adapted to be partly separated from said raised portion by pulling at said gripping end to break said heat sealed welding seam along said major part of said circumference so that said tab is hinged to said raised portion along said relatively wide seam which seam is located closely adjacent the rim of said opening and is curved with its concave side facing said opening, so that after partly separating said flexible tab from said raised portion and bending it for substantally 90 around said relatively wide seam a pouring spout is formed which is rigid lengthwise by virtue of being concave crosswise, and further adapted, after being separated, selectively to overlay said opening and to be depressed therein so as to releasably andsealingly engage the entire rim of said opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,261,260 4/1918 Meares 222-541 X 1,473,453 11/ 1923 Wunderlich 222-541 X 1,596,638 8/1926 Turpel et a1. 222-541 2,338,604 6/ 1944 Silveyra 2297 X 2,353,521 7/1944 Steffens 222-530 2,617,563 11/1952 Miller 229-7 X 2,715,982 8/1955 Preston 222-541 2,870,935 1/ 1959 Houghtelling 220-53 3,108,708 10/1963 Betner 220-54 FOREIGN PATENTS 613,023 1/1961 Canada.

LOUIS I. DEMBO, Primary Examiner.

LAVERNE D. GEIGER Examiner. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A RIGID CONTAINER HAVING A DISPENSING OPENING IN A RAISED PORTION OF ONE WALL THEREOF, AND A FLEXIBLE TAB SECURED TO SAID RAISED PORTION ALL AROUND SAID OPENING TO SEALINGLY COVER SAID OPENING, SAID ADAPTED TO BE PARTLY SEPARATED FROM SAID RAISED PORTION SO AS TO BE HINGED TO ITS ALONG A PREDETERMINED ONE OF ITS OWN EDGES, WHICH EDGE IS LOCATED CLOSELY ADJACENT THE RIM OF SAID OPENING, AND FURTHER ADAPTED, AFTER BEING SEPARATED FROM SAID RAISED PORTION, SELECTIVELY TO OVERLAY SAID OPENING AND TO BE DEPRESSED THEREIN SO AS TO RELEASABLY AND SEALING ENGAGE THE ENTIRE RIM OF SAID OPENING. 